


When I Met You

by LeanaVine



Category: CrankGameplays - Fandom, Crankiplier - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF, markiplier - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bottom Ethan Nestor, Eventual Smut, Falling In Love, First Meetings, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Idiots in Love, M/M, Meet-Cute, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining, RPF, Slow Burn, Top Mark Fischbach
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-02-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:54:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22551328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeanaVine/pseuds/LeanaVine
Summary: AU. Ethan is jogging in the park one day when he's approached by a really cute golden retriever. Her owner is pretty cute, too.(Named after the song by Ethan Nestor. Was originally going to be a long one-shot, but then I decided to break it up. I still don't see this being more than four chapters long, though.)
Relationships: Mark Fischbach/Ethan Nestor
Comments: 23
Kudos: 167





	When I Met You

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hey guys! This is my first Crankiplier fic, so I hope you like it! I've been obsessed with Unus Annus lately and had this idea the other day. Originally this was just going to be a one-shot, but then I had more ideas and decided to extend it. Still, it probably won't be longer than like four chapters.
> 
> Anyway, this fic is about real people, but in a different setting than real life. It's all in good fun, and I don't mean any harm against our boys, or their girlfriends.
> 
> Enjoy! Comments and kudos are appreciated!

Running sucked, Ethan decided. He’d taken up running laps at the park a couple weeks ago, and though it was having positive effects on his body, it still sucked in the moment. His lungs were on fire, his legs were aching and cramping, and he was covered in sweat. Ethan tried to control his breathing – in through his nose, out through his mouth – but just ended up heaving out air and gasping for breath.

He finally stopped, pulling out his headphones and resting his hands on his knees. Eww, even his knees were sweaty. Groaning, he hobbled over to a bench to sit down. The hot metal stung the exposed skin of his thighs and he jumped a little, hissing in pain. He decided to take a second to check Twitter, scrolling quickly, barely reading the tweets. He sighed, dragging a hand through his damp, brown hair. This was torture. What was the point?

Ethan heard approaching footsteps but didn’t look up. “Chica! Chica, no. Chica, c’mere!” He did look up at that voice, however, because that was a _nice_ voice. A golden retriever was approaching him, tongue lolling out of her mouth. She had a big, dopey smile on her face as she sat in front of Ethan, panting.

He smiled, reaching down to pet her gently, her tail wagging more furiously. “Hello there,” Ethan said in a squeaky voice. “Aren’t you just so pretty? And very friendly.” She probably smelled Ethan’s own dog, Spencer, on him. He would’ve brought Spencer along to the park, but he hadn’t expressed much interest in getting out of bed that morning.

A man jogged up to them, chuckling. “Sorry. I’m not sure why she’s feeling so social,” he said, hands on his hips.

Shaking his head, Ethan looked up. “It’s fine, really-” He paused when his eyes landed on that gorgeous face. Good voice _and_ good face? The stranger was a little older than him, had a great, shy smile, and dark, chocolate brown eyes. On top of that, he had bulging arms, showed off by his muscle shirt, and muscles were one of Ethan’s weaknesses. Ethan stood on slightly wobbly legs, smiling awkwardly. “She’s a sweet girl,” he finally said. “What’s her name?” Was he shaking? Well, kinda, but was it from the beautiful stranger or the exercise?

“This is Chica,” the man announced, kneeling by his pet, giving her a pat on the head. “Chica, shake.”

Ethan giggled when the dog held out her paw, and he bent down, shaking it, saying, “Howdy.” He connected eyes with the stranger and his heart stuttered. They both stood and Ethan started to feel self-conscious. He knew he was a good-looking guy, but this wasn’t his best moment: sweat-drenched t-shirt, gym shorts, and messy hair. “I’m Ethan,” he stated, putting out his hand, hoping it wouldn’t feel too clammy.

The man laughed. “Oh yeah, I know this trick, too,” he said, shaking Ethan’s hand, making him laugh in return. “I’m Mark.” He looked down at his dog. “Ready to get at it again, Chica?” She just looked up at him and smiled, so he scratched her chin.

“It was nice to meet you,” Ethan admitted, rubbing his arm awkwardly. He smiled down at Chica. “Both of you.”

Mark chuckled. “Yeah, you too. See ya.” Then he and the dog were jogging away, and Ethan sighed, watching them go.

Now _that_ was a man, he thought as he sat back on the bench, not caring that his legs got singed again. He wanted to make sure that before he started running again, there would be a gap between himself and Mark. Why couldn’t he find a man like that, he wondered. Ethan had been single for a while now and things were starting to get lonely. He didn’t think there was anything inherently wrong with him, so why couldn’t he get a date? _‘Probably because you barely leave the apartment,’_ he thought to himself.

Other than his morning runs, work, and his trips to the nearby Starbucks, Ethan didn’t really have any reason to leave his home. He wasn’t super social, and most of his friends he met online anyway. Ethan had tried online dating, but it wasn’t very successful. Most of the guys on Tinder were complete jerks just looking for a hookup. While sex was nice – and it had been a while for him – Ethan wanted a connection, too.

Once enough time had passed, Ethan stood, putting back in his headphones and stretching for a second before he started jogging. Mark was handsome, nice, and had a wonderful dog. These were all really great reasons to keep his distance. If Ethan knew himself, and he was pretty sure he did, Mark was the kind of guy he could see himself quickly developing a crush on, if he hadn’t already. _‘This is pathetic,’_ he thought. _‘The dude literally talked to you for not even a minute and you’re still thinking about him. It wasn’t a love connection; get over it.’_

As he continued running, he spotted a dog wandering down the path, dragging their leash. Weird, that looked like Chica. Ethan sped up a little only to discover that the dog was indeed the same that he’d met earlier. “Chica?” he called, and the dog stopped walking, turning back to look at him. When he caught up to her, he pulled out his headphones again and asked, “Whatcha doin, girl? Where’s your owner?” He looked around, but Mark was nowhere to be seen. Ethan picked up her leash, petting her head. “Let’s wait and see if he comes this way, yeah?”

After waiting a few minutes with no sign of the dog’s owner, he decided they should start walking. “C’mon, girl. We’ll find him.” He wasn’t sure which direction they should go, so he decided to keep going forward. If he made enough laps, they should eventually run into Mark, right? After about 30 minutes with no sign of Chica’s owner, Ethan got worried. “Where could he be?” he asked aloud.

They kept up their effort for about an hour before Ethan figured that Mark must have left the park. “Well, Chica, I guess you’re coming home with me. Is that okay?” The dog just smiled up at him, so he took that as a yes. “And just so we’re clear, I’m not puppy-napping you,” he stated, booping her nose. “There’s no way I would ever do that. But I can’t exactly leave you alone, either.” They made their way to the parking lot where Chica got in the backseat of Ethan’s car without hesitation.

On the drive back to his apartment, Ethan started to feel guilty. Was he stealing this sweet, little dog? No, he was just saving her before some other weirdo could scoop her up. Then why did he feel this way? Trying to ease his own mind, Ethan said, “You’ll get to meet my dog, Spencer, when we get home. And I’ll look for your owner on Facebook, okay?”

As soon as Ethan entered his apartment, Spencer came racing up to the door. “Easy boy,” he said, petting his dog. Chica walked in and the two immediately started sniffing each other. Ethan watched for a moment, making sure the dogs would get along, before he said, “C’mere Chica. Lemme show you where the water is.” He knew she had to be thirsty from all the exercise she’d gotten that day.

After making sure that Chica was settling in okay, Ethan sat in the kitchen and pulled out his phone. He didn’t know Mark’s last name, but it shouldn’t be too hard to find him, right? How many Mark’s could there be in LA? As it turns out, there were a ton. As he scrolled, Ethan started to wonder if Mark even _had_ a Facebook. He groaned, deciding to give up and take a shower.

For the majority of the day, Ethan tried to find Mark on Instagram and Twitter with no luck. He eventually posted a picture of Chica to Twitter, hoping that someone would come forward that recognized her.

> _So I met this lovely lady at the park today. She was wandering around on her own, and I couldn’t find her owner. Can you guys spread her picture so we can find her home?_

He got a few replies, mostly just asking about which part of LA the park was and if Chica had a dog tag. Sadly, she didn’t, or this would’ve been a lot easier. At least Spencer seemed to enjoy her company. The two puppers were snuggled up on the couch together. Chica seemed either sad or tired or both. Ethan frowned. He hoped that Mark would reach out to him soon.

* * *

In the days that passed, Ethan took Chica with him for his morning running sessions, hoping that they would bump into Mark. He didn’t listen to music during his jogs with Chica, just in case Mark spotted them and called out to his dog. She was such a good dog, never pulling on the leash or trying to chase birds. Ethan was just glad that she seemed comfortable with him. It was always nice to gain an animal’s trust.

On day two, Ethan was jogging with Chica when he spotted a “Missing” poster on one of the trees lining the trail. He slowed down so that he could have a better look. The picture on the poster was definitely of Chica. Ethan smiled down at her. “Look, Chica, your owner put up a poster for you!” he told her happily. Thank God. The poster read:

_Missing! Female golden retriever, age 4, answers to the name of Chica. Last seen in – Park. She’s very gentle and friendly. If found, please call or text Mark Fischbach at –. $200 reward._

Ethan smiled, sighing a breath of relief. He pulled out his phone, texting the number.

> **E:** Hi! My name is Ethan Nestor. I saw your missing poster. I found Chica at the park a couple days ago. Where can I meet you?

He felt a little discouraged when there wasn’t an immediate response. Kneeling by the dog, Ethan ruffled her ears and said, “Let’s head home early and get you fed before he texts me back.”

After getting back home and showering, Ethan checked his phone, relieved to see that he had a new message.

> **M:** Oh thank goodness! Thanks so much. Where do you live? I’ll come pick her up. 

Ethan smiled before realization hit and he got nervous. Mark was going to come here? He quickly started cleaning, scrambling to make his apartment presentable. The dogs just watched him curiously as he tidied up. Once the living room and kitchen were alright, Ethan considered cleaning his bathroom and bedroom. The bathroom made sense, just in case Mark had to use it, but why would his room need to be clean? It wasn’t like anything was going to happen, right? Mark would probably get Chica and leave right after.

Still, Ethan scrubbed his toilet and made his bed before texting Mark his address. He then thought about his appearance and if he should put a little more effort into it. _‘He’s just coming for Chica, not you,’_ Ethan reminded himself as he examined his hair in the bathroom mirror. He groaned, deciding he should at least put on nicer clothes. His sweatpants and baggy t-shirt felt too frumpy for having a guy over.

Ethan finally decided on a powder blue, button-up shirt and skinny jeans. It still felt like a casual outfit, but it was nicer than what he had been wearing. Should he put on shoes? Feet were so gross to him, and he wasn’t keen on showing his off. After much deliberation, Ethan donned a pair of Star Wars socks. Once he felt like everything was in place, he sat on the couch with the dogs, trying not to be too nervous, his leg bouncing.

About 20 minutes later, there was a knock at the front door. Spencer snapped to attention, hopping off the couch to go see who their visitor was. Ethan took a deep breath as he crossed the living room. _‘He’s just here for Chica,’_ he reminded himself. He stood at the door for a second before he finally pulled it open.

Mark looked even better than he had at the park. His hair was a little less unruly, and he wore a red, flannel shirt and jeans. To his amazement, Mark smiled. “It’s you,” he said, sounding a little surprised himself. What? Mark remembered him? At hearing her owner’s voice, Chica dismounted the couch and ran up to Mark, her tail slapping Ethan’s leg. “Chica Bica!” Mark knelt, hugging her neck and giving her forehead a kiss. “You had me so worried.”

Ethan finally stirred from where he’d been standing frozen. He giggled anxiously. “I was worried, too. We looked all over the park for you.”

Mark stood, smiling at Ethan, making his heart melt. “I can’t thank you enough, man,” he said. Chica trotted back into the apartment, so Mark laughed and asked, “Can I come in?”

A bit dumbfounded, Ethan nodded, stepping back to let Mark pass. “Uh, yeah, make yourself comfortable.” Spencer smelled Mark’s leg. “Spencer who is this?” he asked his dog playfully.

Crouching, Mark smiled at Spencer, petting his head. “Hi Spencer. I’m Mark, Chica’s dad.” Spencer turned around to go sit on the couch with Chica. Mark chuckled. “She’s really made herself at home here, huh? I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Ethan told him, smiling. “She’s been super sweet. She’s well trained. I hope Spencer learned a few things from her.”

Mark walked over to the couch, petting Chica. “You’ve been good? Good girl.” Her tail started wagging and she had that goofy smile on her face. Mark laughed before turning back to Ethan. “Seriously, Ethan, thank you so much for taking care of her,” he said. “I was beside myself, looking everywhere for her. She’s never run off on me before.”

Ethan walked into the kitchen, sitting at his small dining table. “What happened?”

Sighing, Mark joined him, taking the seat across from him. “I left her tied up while I went to the bathroom, and I guess I didn’t do a very good job. She must’ve seen a squirrel or something. I couldn’t believe it when she was gone. I looked _everywhere_ for her in that park.”

With a smile, Ethan admitted as he looked down at his hands, “I was so relieved when I saw your poster. I tried looking for you on Facebook, and I even posted Chica’s picture on Twitter, but I couldn’t find you. It would’ve helped if I knew your last name sooner.” He giggled nervously.

“Yeah,” Mark replied, rubbing the back of his neck, “I’m not super active on social media.” He smiled warmly. “I’m so glad you found Chica. I owe you.” The older man reached into his back pocket, pulling out his wallet. “As promised, I have your reward here.”

Ethan waved a hand at the gesture. “Really, you don’t have to worry about that. Chica’s a sweet girl; I didn’t mind taking care of her at all.” He looked down at the table, unable to look into Mark’s eyes. “You’re really sweet to offer, though.”

Mark chuckled. “Sweet? If you say so.” He pocketed his wallet again, just sitting there, staring.

Swallowing, Ethan asked, “Did you, umm, want anything to drink or anything?” He looked up at Mark’s face again and felt paralyzed by that smile.

“No, I’m good. We should probably head out.” He stood, so Ethan followed him back to the living room, his stomach sinking. “Chica, say bye-bye to your boyfriend,” Mark told her. When she didn’t move from the couch, he laughed and said, “C’mon, Chica, let’s go home.” At this she yawned and followed him to the door. Spencer came too, so Mark clarified, “No, no, just Chica, okay?”

Ethan giggled, scratching Spencer’s chin. “You really like her, huh? Is Chica your girlfriend?” he asked in a playful tone. Putting his hands on his hips, he suggested, “Maybe we should, like, set up a play date for them sometime. They’ve gotten along so well these past couple days.”

Chuckling, Mark replied, “Chica does really seem to like you. That’s not a bad idea. I have your number now, so I can just hit you up when I have a free moment, if that’s okay.”

Grinning, Ethan replied, “Yeah! Yeah, great. Sounds good.” He winced at his own enthusiasm but tried to laugh it off awkwardly. Mark didn’t seem to mind though, just smiling at him. “So, you’ll text me then?” he asked, hoping he didn’t sound too desperate. Mark nodded, obviously trying to keep from laughing. Ethan handed over Chica’s leash, which Mark attached to her collar. “Bye, Chica,” Ethan said with a wave.

And just like that, Mark and Chica were gone. Ethan closed the door behind them, then covered his face with both hands, suppressing a scream. He felt embarrassed and excited all at once. He slapped his cheek lightly. “Come on, Ethan, he’s just a guy,” he told himself, trying to calm his fluttering heart. He really didn’t need to get this worked up over a dude he barely knew.

Sitting down on the couch, Ethan added Mark’s number to his contacts, wondering how long it would be before he heard from his new friend.

* * *

Two days passed. Two _long_ days. Ethan had become obsessed with his phone, even more so than before, hoping for a notification. God, he had it bad, and he knew it. Ethan hated himself more in those two days than he had in a long time. That day, he didn’t even go on his morning run, having lost his motivation. He stayed in bed longer than usual, scrolling through his subscriptions page on YouTube. Spencer laid at the foot of the bed, staring at him with sad eyes.

Suddenly a notification dropped down on his phone screen – a text from Mark. Ethan gasped, dropping his phone like it had burned him, covering his mouth. Spencer sat up, able to tell that something was amiss. “Spence, it’s Mark,” Ethan mumbled, breathless. “What do I do?” Spencer said nothing, of course, because he was a dog. Ethan licked his lips, hesitantly picking up his phone. He tapped on the message.

> **M:** Hey, it’s Mark. Was wondering if you wanted to meet up for that play date today?

Ethan giggled, covering his mouth. Finally. _‘Okay, don’t screw this up,’_ he thought to himself.

> **E:** Sounds great :) meet at the park?

He jumped out of bed, darting to the bathroom. There probably wasn’t time for a shower, he thought regretfully. Starting to brush his teeth, his eyes widened when his phone chimed again. Toothbrush hanging out of his mouth, Ethan checked his phone.

> **M:** See you in 20!

Okay, so there was time for a shower. Thank God. Ethan turned on the hot water as he finished scrubbing his teeth, trying not to laugh at himself. He was acting like a teenage girl but couldn’t help himself.

Oh, he had it so bad.


End file.
